A guide to better soldering from Weller

I like to solder, its one of those skills that takes patience and practice and when done right, it creates a strong bond. Another thing that helps make a good solder joint is having the right tool. Soldering irons come in all shapes, sizes and prices. In this article I will focus on a few offerings from Weller and at the bottom is a PDF from Weller on how to solder better. Weller is a main stream brand that you can find at just about any hardware or big box store. They have quite a few models available and have a 7 year warranty, so you can’t go wrong.

The first is a cordless tool, it is powered by 4 AA batteries, has 2 heat settings and an LED light. It heats up in seconds, and unit like this is great for techs who need an iron every once in a while for small jobs. It has a protective cap to protect the tip when in transport.

Most homeowners will want to go with something like the Weller WPS18MP. At 10.4 oz it is a light, powerful iron that has a few features that make it a breeze to work with. The tips are easily removable, in fact they remind me of unplugging a headphone jack, it is that simple. It has a built in LED light on the front of the unit that illuminates the work area well. A red LED turns green in about 35 seconds to let you know that the tool is at temperature. The power cord easily unplugs and allows you to place the tool on a surface to cool.

Now for the professionals that need a lot of power, there is the Weller D550PK 120-Volt Professional Soldering Gun Kit. It produces a whopping 260/200 Watts that’s available at the tip in 6 seconds with a temperature Range 1100° F/900° F. It comes in a blow molded case and has a few extra tips included. The trigger is variable and has 2 bright incandescent lights that light up when pulled.